Mine car



D. U. RICH Feb. 18, 1936.

MINE CAR s sheet's-sheet 1 Filed Nov. 16, 1934 Feb. 18, 1936.

D. U. RICH MINE CAR Filed NOV. 16, 1934k v 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE ltIlNE CAR Donald U. Rich, Teaneck, N. J., assignorto Amel'-l ican Car and Foundry Company, New York. N. Y., a. corporationof New Jersey Application November 16, 1934, serial No. 753,249

29 Claims.

This invention relates generally to railway cars and has particularreference to mine cars of the drop bottom type. 4

In drop bottom cars as heretofore used wherein the curved end portionsof the doors engage above the hinge axis a slight deformation of a doorcauses improper functioning if not complete failure of the automaticdoors, also in the drop bottom cars in which the doors or rigid partsthereof interengage below the pivot, the interengagement has been placedon the same side of the pivot as the door hinged to the pivot, thiscauses a cumulative loading which necessitates heavy latches.

It is an object of this invention to overcome the above diiculties bythe provision of new and improved hinge means supporting the doors ofdrop bottom mine cars for automatic, sequential operation.

Another object of this invention is tof provide simple supporting means,associated with each door and so proportioned that the interengagementof the means falls directly below or to the side of the pivot axis awayfrom the door hinged to the pivot.

A still further object is the provision of new and improved hinge meansfor supporting the doors of drop bottom mine cars that may be appliedwithout bending or deforming the door plate.

Further objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent fromthe following description taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings in which:

Figure 1 is a sectional view through the front end portion of a mine carshowing one form of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view through the rear end portion of a. mine car,Figs. 1 and 2 together constituting the complete mine car;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3, Fig. 1,

but showing the flare sheet or side wall of the car in section at thewheel housing;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail sectional view showing a modified form ofhinge part;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view showing another modlfication of the hingepart of Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view, in section, showing a modified form of theinvention, the view showing one door in fully opened position and anadjacent door in partly closed position;

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but showing the form of the inventionappearing in Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view showing a still furthermodification of the door supporting means;

Fig. 9 is a view of a still further form of the (Cl. 10S-253) invention,the view showing a construction similar in some respects to the doorsupport of Fig. 8 but in which the door supporting elements intersectthe vertical plane coincident with the axis of rotation of the axle and,5

Fig. 10 is a plan View of the hinge mounting for the forward door ofthel car.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings in which similarcharacters of reference designate similar parts in the several views.the 10 car of the present invention comprises a body indicated generallyat A which is supported by an underframe B, said underframe being, ineffect, a part of the body and comprising side sills 2, bulb angles inthe instance shown, which ex- 15 tend between and are connected tochannel shaped end sills 4. The body A comprises stationary side and endwalls 6 and'8 respectively, walls 6 constituting flare sheets whichextend upwardly and outwardly from the bulbs I0 of side 20 sills 2 toform lading supporting and retaining portions and are secured to thebulbs in any suitable manner as by being welded thereto at I2. The sidewalls are further supported by gussets or brackets I4 which extend fromthe sills 2 and are 25 secured thereto and to the under surfaces of theside walls by means of fasteners I6.

As shown more clearly in Figs. 2 and 3 the side walls, intermediatetheir upper and lower edge portions, are provided with integral pressedwheel 30 housings I8, the housings being substantially triangular inplan and gradually increasing in depth toward the side sills with thebase or bottom wall 20 of each housing substantially verticallyarranged.

The car body A is supported by axles 22 which extend throughthe webs 24of side sills 2 and through axle boxes 26 secured to said webs, theaxles 22 being carried by wheels 28. A

Arranged over the axles 22 are axle hoods 30 40 which extend between theside sills 2 and have their end portions resting upon and secured byfasteners 32 to horizontally projecting attaching iianges 34 of llercastings 36 secured to the side walls of the car at the wheel housings.The ller 45 castings are substantiallytriangular in shape when viewed inplan and are so formed as to fill the pockets formed between the Wheelhousings and the axle hoods 30 (see Figs. 3 and 7) The castings 36 haveportions 38 complemental with the bases 50 20 of the wheel housings I8and the upper and lower portions of said castings overlap the wheelhousings I8 and side sills 2 respectively and are fastened to the sidewalls as shown at 40. The axle hoods are pressed members, substantiallyan- 55 Cil shown in Fig. 6, the downwardly projecting portion of theaxle hood 38 is formed to a gradual curve as indicated at 46, this beinga modification of the axle hood shown in Figs. l, 2, 8 and 9. The

flanges 34 of the filler castings 36 project from the forward walls 31of said castings and are of a form and size to support the end portionsof the axle hoods. To constitute fillers for the pockets defined betweenthe wheel housings and axle hoods, the castings 36 are so formed as toprovide side wall portions 42 which slope upwardly at substantially theangle of inclination of the flanges of the axle hoods, to a central rib41 which is alined with the upper portion orapex of the axle `hood andforms, in effect, an upwardly directed continuation of the apex of theaxle hood. This is clearly illustrated in Figs. 3 and '7. From theconstruction just described it will be apparent that in addition toproviding stiffeners for the side walls of the car at the juncture withthe side sills, the filler castings 36 also eliminate the possibility ofinterference with the discharge of lading from the car as these illercastings substantially ll the spaces between the wheel housings and theaxle hoods 30.

The lading supporting portion or bottom of the car is formed of aplurality of automaticallyoperated doors which are hinged on axesextending transversely of the car. The doors are indicated in thedrawings at 46, 48 and 58 and, for convenience, are termed forward,intermediate and rear doors respectively. Referring now to the form ofthe invention shown in Figs. 1 and 2 it can be seen that the forwarddoor 46 has its forward end portion rolled as at 52 and engaged witheccentrics 54 carried by a hinge rod 56 extending between and supportedby the side sills 2 at a point adjacent the front end sill 4. Therelative position of the door 46, which may be of conventional shape,and eccentrics 54 may be varied to insure a tight seal with the frontend sill 4 when the door is closed, and to further insure a leak proofjoint at this point a shedder plate 58 is secured to the end sill andoverlaps the hinged joint. The doors are each reinforced intermediatethe upturned\ edges by longitudinal stiffeners 60 riveted or otherwiseattached to the door, these stiifeners may also be provided at the sideedges in lieu of the upturned edges shown. The rear or free edge portionof the door 46 extends rearwardly beyond the depending flange portion 44of the axle hood 30, said portion 44 of the axle hood extendingdownwardly to a point immediately adjacent the door 46 as clearly shownin Fig. 1. Secured to, or if desired made integral with, the rear edgeportion of the door 46 are door supporting elements in the form ofspaced hooks 62, the effective portions 64- of which are rebent portionswhich face toward the forward edge portion of the door 46 and areadapted to extend within pockets 66 formed by cutting away portions ofthe rear wall and base or lower wall 16 of hinge elements 68 to permitthe effective portions of said hooks to have a bearing on the lowerwalls of said hinge elements. The hinge elements 68, in the form of theinvention shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 are substantially channel shaped insection with spaced attaching flanges 12 secured to the forward portionof the door 48 by any suitable means such as rivets 14. The hingeelements are engaged with the axle 22, although any hinge rod other thanthe axle may be used if desired, and thus serve to hingedly support theintermediate door 48. The mechanism at the rear edge of door 48 and theforward edge of door 50 is identical with that just described and hencesimilar reference characters are employed. It is to be noted that theweight of the lading and doors imposed on the hooks 62 is transmitted bythe rebent portion 64 engaging the ledge 10 and through the hingeelements 68 and door plate to the axle and since the portions 64 and 10are below and to the side of the pivot away from the -door body carryingthe element 68 a rotative tendency is exerted which will counterbalancea part of the load that would otherwise be transmitted to the nextsucceeding supporting element. It is readily seen that the load on eachdoor is supported byits hinge and4 hook elements alone and nottransmitted to the next succeeding door to be finally carried by themain or controlling latch. The rear edge portion of door 50 is curvedupwardly as shown at 16 to underlie the lower inwardly deected endportion 18 of the rear end wall 8 and this door 50 is supported inclosed position in any suitable manner such as by latch means 80 adaptedto beA either manually or automatically operated into released positionto permit swinging of the doors sequentially to open position.

The car shown in Figs. l and 2, with the doors in closed position,travels to the right as viewed in Fig. 1 and when it reaches a place fordeposit of the lading, the latch mechanism 80 at the rear end of the caris operated to release the rear door 50 and permit the same to swing toopen position. Swinging movement of door 50 toward the open positionobviously turns the hinge element 68 and its supporting engagement withsaid hinge element and the door 48 swings toward open position whereuponthe hinge element 68 for said door 48 is released from its supportingengagement with door 46 and door 46 then proceeds to open. Continuedmovement of the car of Figs. 1 and 2 to the right causes the forwarddoor 46 to engage a ramp indicated more or less diagrammatically at 82(Fig. 6) to force the door 46 on its hinges toward closed position. Thiscontinued movement of the car then causes the door 48 to be moved toclosed position whereupon the hooks 62 will be indicated -within thepockets 66 and will engage the lower Walls 10 of the hinge element 68.In a like mannerthe rear door 50 is moved to closed position and thehook elements 62 of door 48 will engage with the hinge elements of thedoor 50 whereby the door 48 is supported in closed position. It is to benoted also that due to the positioning of the hook element 64 and ledgeelement 10 to the forward side of the pivot axis the rotative tendencypreviously described causes the elements to become more tightly engagedwith each other and as soon as the forward door has left the ramp itaids in lifting and holding in the lifted position the next succeedingdoor.

Fig. 4 shows a. modified form of hinge mounting for the doors of the carof the present invention, which is substantially of channel shape withoppositely disposed curved bearing surfaces 84 with which the axle 22 isengaged; this being similar to the construction shown in Figs. 1 and 2.Fig. 4 provides a hardened wear plate 86 which extends between theflanges 88 of the hinge element and is adapted to bear on the axle 22.

In Fig. 5 the lower wall of the hinge element 68 is shown as slopingdownwardly at 8D to engage with the upwardly sloping tongue 82 of thehook element 6 2. In this instance the interengagement of the elements`is placed farther to the forward side of the hinge axis to furtherincrease the rotative tendency of the elements.

The hinge elements shown in Figs. 1, 2, 4 and 5 are pressings. In theform of the invention shown in Fig'. 6 use is made of cast hingeelements, the same comprising a recessed body portion 94 adapted toclosely engage the axle 22 and formed with attaching flanges 86 by whichsaid hinge elements may be attached or secured to the forward edgeportion of the door. The hinge elements of Fig. 6 are provided withintegral side reinforcing ribs 98 and with integral supporting portions|00 in the form of -hooks which extend between the ribs 98 and areadapted to engage the hook elements 62 of an adjacent door. As can beseen in Fig. 6 the hinge element 94 is fastened to the forward edgeportion of the door at points on opposite sides of the axle.

In the form of the invention shown in Fig. 8, secured to the forwardedge portion of the door is a hinge strap |02 which encircles the axle22. The supportingmeans for the adjacent door, in the form of theinvention shown in Fig. 8, comprises a supporting casting |04 secured tothe under surface of the door at its forward edge portion by suitablefasteners such. as the rivets |06 which also serve to secure the hingestrap |02. The rivets |06 pass throughan attaching portion |08 and saidsupporting element includes a curved body portion I0 formed to-thecontour of the hinge strap |02. The supporting element |04 has integralside walls ||2 and a supporting shelf 4 extending between said walls-||2and, when the door is in closed position -saidshelf I4 is arrangedwholly on one side of the vertical plane coincident with the axis ofrotation of the door. It can be seen in Fig. 8, that the door is on oneside, or rearwardly of the vertical plane coincident with the axis ofrotation of the door, while the supporting shelf ||4 is on the oppositeside or forwardly of said plane. This particular arrangement not onlyincreases the` rotative and locking tendencies previously described butalso reduces to a minimum the rubbing of one door by an adjacent doorwhich is being moved to closed position by the ramp 82. The supporting.element |04 is connected to the hinge strap |02 adjacent the supportingshelf ||4 by means of welding at IIB.

The form of the invention shown in Fig. 9 is quite similar to that shownin Fig. 8 and hence the same reference characters are applied, however,the construction in Fig. 9 differs from that shown in Fig. 8 in that thecooperating surfaces of the hook 62 and the shelf ||4 are arranged insuch a manner that when the doors are in closed position saidcooperating surfaces intersect the vertical plane coincident with theaxis of rotation of the door. This arrangement insures the transmissionof load to the pivot axis without any rotative or locking tendenciesbeing set up and is the limiting position between supporting elementsarranged according to this invention and supporting elements aspreviously arranged.

It is old in the art to support the rear edge portion of one drop bottomdoor of a mine car on the forward edge portion of an adjacent door butsuch a construction results in a definite load being placed on thesupporting rear edge portion of one door which tends to causedeformation of the contacting portions of the doors. In the presentinvention one door is supported at its rear edge portion by the combinedhinge and supporting element connected with the forward edge of theadjacent door which as has been described removes at least a part of theload from the free edge of the next adjacent door. The amount of loadremoved depends of course on the lever arm, that is the horizontaldistance from the vertical plane through the pivot axis to theinterengaging supporting elements.

The drawings herein illustrate certain embodiments of the invention butit is to be understood they are'for illustrative purposes only andvarious changes in the form and proportions of the construction may bemade within the scope of the appended claims without departing from thespirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. The combination with a car body, of a plurality of horizontaltransversely extending hinge rods carried by the body, a plurality ofdoors, a plurality of means attached to the doors and hinging the doorson the rods, a plurality of hook shaped members secured to the free edgeof at least one door, the means hinging at least one of the doors on itsrod being provided with a portion situated substantially on the oppositeside of the hinge axis from the door and adapted to be engaged by thehook member of the adjacent door when the doors are in closed position.

2. The combination with a car body, of a plurality of horizontaltransversely extending hinge rods carried by the body, a plurality ofdoors, a plurality of means attached to the doors and hinging the doorson the rods, a plurality of hook shaped members secured to the free edgeof at least one door, the means hinging at least one of the doors on itsrod being provided with a pocket shaped portion situated on the oppositeside of the hinge axis from thedoor, said pocket shaped portion openingtoward its associated door to be engaged by the hook portion of theadjacent door when the doors are in the closed position.

3. The combination with a car body, of a plurality of horizontaltransversely extending hinge rods carried by the. body, a plurality ofdoors', a plurality of means attached to the doors and hinging the doorson the rods, a plurality of hoo-k shaped members facing towards andsecured to the free edge of at least one door, the means hinging atleast one of the doors on its rod being provided with a portion situatedsubstantially on the opposite side of the hinge axis from the door andadapted to be engaged by the hook member of the adjacent door when thedoors are in closed position.

4. The combination witha car body, of a plurality of horizontaltransversely extending hinge rods carried by the body, a plurality ofdoors, a plurality of means attached to the doors and hinging the doorson the rods, a plurality of hook shaped members facing towards andsecured to the free edge of at least one door, the means hinging atleast one of the doors on its rod being provided with a pocket shapedportion situated on the opposite side of the hinge axis from the door,said pocket shaped portion opening toward its associated door to beengaged by the hook portion of the adjacent door when the doors are inthe closed position.

5. In combination in a drop bottom car, a plurality of horizontaltransversely extending hinge rods, a plurality of doors each having itsforward formed with a rearwardly facing pocket situated below andforwardly of'its associated door axis, a plurality of forwardly directedhook shaped members attached to the rear edge of the adjacent door, saidhook shaped members being adapted to enter the adjacent pockets tosupportthe attached door in closed position.

6.V In combin-ation in a drop bottom car, a plurality of horizontaltransversely extending hinge rods, a plurality of doors each having itsforward -edge adjacent a hinge rod, a plurality of means embracing thehinge rod and attached to the forward edge of the associated door, saidmeans being formed with 'a rearwardly facing pocket, a plurality offorwardly directed hook shaped members attached to the rear edge of theadjacent door, said hook shaped members being adapted to enter theadjacent pockets to supportthe attached door in closed position and saidpocket being situated below and forwardly of its associated door axiswhereby the weight of one door counterbalances at least a part of theweight of the adjacent door.

7. In combination in a multi-door drop bottom car, horizontaltransversely extending hinge rods,-

a door having one edge adjacent a hinge rod, hinge means comprising aplurality of members embracing the hinge rod and attached to the dooredge, at leasta part of said members being formed with a pocket, saidpocket being situated below the hinge rod and adapted to directlysupport the free`edge of the adjacent door when in closed position.

8. I n combination in a multi-door drop bottom car, horizontaltransversely extending hinge rods, a door having one edge adjacent ahinge rod, hinge means comprising a substantially U-shaped memberembracing the hinge rod and attached to the door edge, said means beingprovided below the hinge axis with a pocket adapted to support the freeedge of an adjacent door when in closed position.

9. In combination in a multi-'door drop bottom car, horizontaltransversely extending hinge rods, a door having one edge adjacent andoverlying a hinge rod, hinge means comprising a substantially U-shapedmember embracing the hinge rod and attached at spaced points to theoverlying door edge, said means being provided With a pocket situatedbelow and on the opposite side of the hinge axis from the associateddoor, said pocket being adapted to support the free edge of an adjacentdoor when in closed position.

l0. In combination in a multi-door drop bottom car, horizontaltransversely extending hinge rods, a door having one edge adjacent andoverlying a hinge rod, a wear member between the door and hinge rod,hinge means comprising a substantially U-shaped member embracing thehinge rod and attached at spaced points to the overlying door edge andwear member, said means being provided with a pocket situated below andon the opposite side of the hinge axis from the associated door, saidpocket being adapted to support the free edge of an adjacent door whenin closed position.

1 1.In combination in a multi-door drop bottom car, horizontaltransversely extending hinge rods, a door having one edge adjacentahinge rod, hinge means comprising a member` surrounding the hinge rodand overlying the door edge, a member underlying the door edge and beingprovided with a pocket, and means securing said members together and tothe door edge, 'the door edge and pocket being arranged respectively. atleast in part, on opposite sides of the vertical plane through the hingeaxis and said pocket being so formed as to directly support the freeedge of the adjacent door when in closed position.

12. In combination in a multi-door drop bottom car, horizontaltransversely extending hinge rods, a door having one edge adjacent ahinge rod, hinge means comprising a member surrounding the hinge rod'and overlying the door edge, a member underlying the door edge andbeing provided with a pocket, means securing said members together andto the door edge, said pocket being situated below the hinge axis andadapted to directly support the free edge of the adjacent door when inclosed position. 13. In combination in a drop bottom car having forwardintermediate and rear doors, of a plurality of horizontal transverselyextending hinge rods, means hinging the forward door to its hinge rod,means hinging the intermediate and rear doors to their respective rods,forwardly directed hook shaped members attached to the rear free edgesof the forward and intermediate doors, rearwardly opening pocketsprovided on said second mentioned means adapted to be engaged by saidhook members when the doors are in closed position, said. pockets beingsituated below and to the forward side of the respective hinge rodwhereby at least a part of the weight of the rear and intermediate doorsis counterbalanced, and latch means to retain the rear door in closedposition. 14'. The combination of a drop bottom car having side sills,supporting wheels, inclined sides extending upwardly and outwardly fromthe side sills, raised portions in the sides extending over the wheelsto form wheel housings, a plurality of doors, a plurality of horizontaltransverselyextending hinge rods supported by the side sills, meanshinging the doors to the rods, means at the hinge and free edges of thedoors to support the doors in closed position, angular shaped castmembers attached on opposite sides of the car to the side sills, wheelhousings and inclined sides, shed plates extending between the sillsabove and spaced from said means, laterally extending fianges on saidangular members and means attaching said shed plates to said flanges.

15. The combination of a drop bottom car having side sills, supportingwheels, inclined sides extending upwardly and outwardly from the sidesills, raised portions in the sides extendv ing over the wheels to formwheel housings spaced from the sills and having an inner wall and a topwall, a plurality of doors, a plurality of horizontal transverselyextending hinge rods supported by the side sills, means hinging thedoors to the rods, means at the hinge and free edges of the doors tosupport the doors in closed position, angular shaped cast membersconforming in outline to the wheel housings and attached on oppositesides of the car to the side sills, wheel housing walls and inclinedsides, laterally extending flanges on said angular members, shed platesextending between the sills above and spaced from said means andattaching means securing said shed plates to said anges whereby thewheel hoods and shed plates cooperate to brace the-car.

16. In a mine car, a plurality of hinge rods extending transversely ofthe car, a plurality of drop doors provided with hook shaped members onthe free edges thereof, and means embracing said rods secured to theopposite edges of the doors and hinging the latter to the rods, saidmeans being formed with supporting elements arranged below andsubstantially on the opposite side of the hinge axis from the majorportion of the door and adapted to be engaged by said hook shapedmembers to releasably support an adjacent door in closed position, saidmembers being so formed and arranged as to exert a force on the doorspartially counterbalancing the load on adjacent doors.

17. In a drop bottom mine car, a plurality of hinge rods extendingtransversely of the car, a plurality of doors, hinge elements secured tothe doors and embracing said hinge rods, and door supporting bracketssecured to said doors on one side of a vertical plane through the axesof the hinge rods and engaging said hinge elements, said brackets beingso formed as to provide supporting portions for an adjacent doordisposed below said hinge rods and on the opposite side of said verticalplane.

18. In a drop bottom mine car, a hinge rod, a door, a hinge elementsecured to the door and embracing said hinge rod, and means forsupporting the free edge portion Aof an adjacent door comprising abracket secured to the door on one side of a vertical plane coincidentwith the axis of said hinge rod and engaging said hinge element toretain the latter against distorsion, said bracket being so formed as toprovide a supporting element arranged on the opposite side of said planefrom the major portion of the door and adapted to engage the free edgeportion of an adjacent door to support the latter.

19. In a drop bottom mine car, a hinge rod extending transversely of thecar, a pair of adjacent doors, and means embracing said rod and formedwith portions arranged substantially to one side of the axis of the rodsecured to and hinging one of the doors on said rod, said means beingprovided with supporting elements arranged below and substantially onthe opposite side of said axis from the major portion of the door andadapted to be engaged by the free edge portion of the other door toreleasably support the latter in closed position.

20. In a drop bottom mine car, a hinge rod, a door, a hinge elementsecured to and hinging the door to said rod, and a bracket secured tothe door and underlying said hinge element, said bracket extendingbeyond the axis of the hinge element from the major portion of the doorand being provided with a supporting element on the edge portion thereofadapted to be engaged by the free edge portion of an adjacent door tosupport the latter.

21. In a drop bottom mine car, a plurality of hinge rods extendingtransversely of the car, a plurality of drop doors having hook shapedmembers at one edge portion thereof, and means secured to the oppositeedge portions of said doors and embracing said rods to hingedly connectthe doors to said rods, said means being so formed and arranged as toprovide engaging portions for said hook shaped members arranged belowthe hinge rods and on the opposite side of the axis thereof from themajor portions of the doors.

22. In a mine car, side and end sills forming a frame, wheel carryingaxles connected with the side sills, a lading supporting bottom withparts thereof` in a plane below the axles, side and end Walls attachedto the sills, said side walls having wheel housings formed therein, llermembers overlying the wheel housings and adjacent wall portions andhaving portions complemental therewith, and axle housings extendingbetween the side sills and secured to the filler members.

23. In a mine car, side and end sills forming a frame, wheel carryingaxles connected with the side sills, a lading supporting bottom withparts thereof in a plane bolo'w the axles, side and end walls attachedto the sills, said side Walls having wheel housings formed therein,illler members including central deflecting portions over'- lying thewheel housings and adjacent wall portions, attaching flanges projectinginwardly from the filler members, and axle housings extending betweenthe side sills and secured to the anges.

24. In a drop bottom mine car including side and end sills, axles,wheels supporting the axles, end walls, side lading supporting portionsextending laterally from the side sills, said lading supporting portionsincluding wheel housings, ller plates overlying said wheel housings andadjacent lading supporting portions, said ller plates including acentral portion, downwardly inclined side walls and supporting ilangesprojecting from said side walls, and axle housings secured to saidflanges.

25. In a mine car including side and end sills, axles, wheels supportingthe axles, end walls, lading supporting and retaining side portions,wheel housings included in said side structures, a plurality of hingerods extending transversely of the car, a plurality of drop doorsprovided with hooked shaped members on the free edges thereof, meansembracing said rods secured to the opposite edges of the door andhinging the latter to the rods, said means including supporting elementsadapted to be engaged by said hooked shaped members to releasablysupport an adjacent door in closed position, filler members overlyingthe wheel housings and adjacent wall portions, and housings positionedover said hinge members and secured to the filler members.

26. In a mine car, side and end sills forming a frame, wheel carryingaxles supporting the side sills, a lading supporting bottom, end wallsattached to said end sills, lading retaining porti-ons connected to saidside sills, wheel housings included in said lading retaining portionsand spaced outwardly of said side sills, axle housings positioned oversaid axles, and filler members secured to said side sills, said llermembers including inclined wall portions positioned to form asubstantial continuation of said axle housings, and supporting anges towhich the axle housings are secured.

27. In a mine car, side and end sills forming a frame, wheel carryingaxles connected with the side sills, a lading supporting bottom, sideand end walls attached to the side sills, wheel housings spacedoutwardly of said side sills, axle housings positioned over said axles,filler members having portions complemental with portions of the wheelhousings and attached thereto, and formed to provide inclined deectorwalls positioned between the wheel housings and the axle housings, andsupporting flanges projecting from said filler members and constitutingattaching means for the axle housings.-

28. In a mine car, side and end sills forming a frame, Wheel carryingaxles connected with the side sills, a lading supporting bottom, sideand end walls attached to said sills, wheel housings spaced outwardly ofsaid side sills, axle housings positioned over said axles, ller membershaving portions complemental with portions of the wheel housingsand-attached thereto, inclined deector walls positioned between thewheel housings and doors, means on the adjacent door having a portionlocated substantially on the opposite side vof the hinge axis from themajor portion of the door and being so formed as to be engaged by saidhookshaped members in such a. manner as to constantly cause saidadjacent door to be biased in the direction of closing movement.

poNALD U. RICH.

